nope i scraped the old gasket off with a SNAP-ON gasket scraper. yeah thats right snap on lol… in any case then i went over it verticaly and horizontaly (sp?) with a ruler to make sure it was perfactly smooth and it was so i just put a bead of it on to seal it up, just a thin layer since they were both smooth it dident mater all to much and its always cold so no expanding and contracting to brake the seal, not that that shit dosent stay flexible in any case… yeah thats what i did and no leaks yet! its been divin for about 30 000 and nothing bad